Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 74.djvu/830

 790

unft^pf^^u^ases' extension. '

41 Stat. 437. contT^f.^^imeiy filing. '

60 Stat. 955. ^ s^e gr e g ated

st^° 44t 4io' ^^ '

oii shale.

PUBLIC LAW 86-705-8EPT. 2, 1960

[74 S T A T.

(b) As to lands not within the known geologic structure of a producing oil or gas field, a noncompetitive oil or gas lease to which this section is applicable shall be extended for a period of five years and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities. As to lands within the known geologic structure of a producing oil or gas field, a noncompetitive lease to which this section is applicable shall be extended for a period of two years and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities. (c) Any noncompetitive oil or gas lease extended under this section shall be subject to the rules and regulations in force at the expiration of the initial five-year term of the lease. No extension shall be granted, however, unless within a period of ninety days prior to the expiration date of the lease an application therefor is filed by the record titleholder or an assignee whose assignment has been filed for approval or an operator whose operating agreement has been filed for approval. (^) ^^.Y l^ase issued prior to the enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act Revisiou of 1960 which has been maintained in accordance with applicable statutory requirements and regulations and which pertains to land on which, or for wiich under an approved cooperative or unit plan of development or operation, actual drilling operations were commenced prior to the end of its primary ^erm and are being diligently prosecuted at that time shall be extended for two years and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities. SEC. 5. The Act of February 25, 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 and the following), is amended by adding a section 42 thereto to read as follows: "SEC. 42. No action contesting a decision of the Secretary involving any oil and gas lease shall be maintained unless such action is commenced or taken within ninety days after the final decision of the Secretary relating to such matter. No such action contesting such a decision of the Secretary rendered prior to enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act Revision of 1960 shall be maintained unless the same be commenced or taken within ninety days after such enactment." SEC. 6. The last sentence of section 30(a) of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 187a), is amended to read as follows: "Upon the Segregation by an assignment of a lease issued after the effective date of the Mineral Leasing Act Revision of 1960 and held beyond its primary term by production, actual or suspended, or the payment of compensatory royaPy, the segregated lease of an undeveloped, assigned, or retained part shall continue for two years, and so lonsr thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities." The provisions of this section 6 shall not be applicable to any lease issued prior to the effective date of this Act. SEC. 7. (a) Section 1 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended ^^^ U-S.C. 181), section 21 of said Act (30 U.S.'C. 241), and section 34 of said Act (30 U.S.C. 182) are amended by the insertion of the words "native asphalt, solid and semisolid bitumen, and bituminous rock (including oil-impregnated rock or sands from which oil is recoverable only by special treatment after the deposit is mined or quarried)" immediately after the words "oil shale," in the first sen^ence of each section. Section 21 of said Act (30 U.S.C. 241) is further amended by striking out the period at the end of the last sentence and adding these words "except that with respect to leases for native asphalt, solid and semisolid bitumen, and bituminous rock (including oil-impregnated rock or sands from which oil is recoverable only by special treatment after the deposit is mined or quarried) no person, association, or corporation shall acquire or hold more than seven

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